Our Offerings to the Lord
The collection taken during the Liturgy is part of our worship. We offer the Lord our lives, our prayers, our gifts of bread and wine, and our financial gifts. Last Sun-day, 56 people attended the Liturgy. Our offering was $1096 in the collection, $50 in donations, $100 for memorials, $16 for candles, and $497 for the Building Fund. Not everyone can make an equal gift, but everyone can make an equal sacrifice. Many thanks for your generosity.
Abouna George Will Talk About Marriage This Thursday
Abouna George Khoury will speak on the topic “Melkite-Byzantine Perspectives on Marriage” on Thursday 12 November at 7:30 pm in St Elias Church. Abouna George is a married priest, a father, and a professional psychologist. He is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of priests. Since he is well qualified and an informative speaker, his talk should be well worth hearing. He will have a PowerPoint slideshow to highlight the main points of his lecture. We hope that many parish-ioners will come to his presentation; usually, non-parishioners outnumber parish-ioners by about four to one.
Lunch Next Sunday will Celebrate Anniversaries
The ladies of St Elias Church invite everyone to enjoy a lunch after the Divine Lit-urgy on Sunday 15 November in celebration of the 16th Anniversary of Fr James’s ordination as a priest (13 November 1993 in St George Church, Sacramento) and the 14th Anniversary of his appointment as Pastor of St Elias Church (1 November 1995). Enjoy a delicious home-made lunch for only $10 per person and join Father James in giving thanks to God for calling him to serve His Church as a priest, especially in St Elias Parish. All the income from the lunch will benefit the parish.
Abouna George Will Serve Liturgy on 22 November
Father George Khoury will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St Elias Church on Sun-day 22 November. Father James will be on an Advent Retreat with about two dozen students from the University of California at Santa Cruz. The retreat is sponsored by the Newman Catholic Center at UCSC. We are very grateful to Fr George coming to serve at St Elias. His preaching provides a fresh perspective and Arabic speakers enjoy his eloquence in that language.
Please Complete Your Parish Registration Form
Please fill out and return to the church the Parish Registration Form that will be handed out today. We ask each family and each single person over 18 years old to complete a form. The new Parish Councils need to update our information about who is a member of the parish, with spouses’ and children’s names; current mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses; ways in which you would like to use your talents to help our parish community; and suggestions, comments, and questions. The information will of course be confidential, used only for church purposes, such as starting a Youth Group and reorganizing Religious Education.
Bible Study/Prayer Group Meets Next Thursday, 7:30 PM
Our Bible Study and Prayer Group will meet next Thursday, 19 November, at 7:30 pm in the church. Please read the Bible selections for Sunday 22 November (Ephesians 4:1-17 and Luke 12:16-21) to prepare for the discussion.
Archbishop’s Appeal: Act Generously Before It’s Too Late
Get personally involved in making sure our precious Melkite heritage and tradition is passed on faithfully to future generations. Evangelization, education, seminary training . . . the Archbishop’s Appeal supports all these and much more. Please respond with a generous heart. If you have not already sent your gift, please do so today so that 100 percent of our parish will respond to Sayidna’s call. You should have received Appeal materials in the mail; gift forms and envelopes are also avail-able on the table at the back of the church. Thank you for your response.
Bishop Nicholas Samra Will Visit St Elias 3-6 December
The Most Reverend Nicholas Samra, Titular Bishop of Gerasa and retired Auxiliary Bishop of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton, will visit St Elias Church for several days in December. His time with us will include a presentation, book-signing, and reception in the evening of Thursday 3 December; Family Night for the Feast of St Nicholas, with refreshments and a Christmas play by the children, on Saturday 5 December at 5:30; and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday 6 December, the Feast of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, followed by a parish lunch.
On Thursday 3 December at 7:30 pm Bishop Nicholas will discuss “American Melkite Identity: The Vision of Archbishop Joseph Tawil.”
Earlier this year, Bishop Nicholas published The Courage to be Ourselves: The Legacy of Archbishop Joseph Tawil. His presentation will highlight the vision of Archbishop Tawil as a vision of Church that remains as relevant today as when it was published nearly 40 years ago. Copies of this book will be available at Bishop Nicholas’s lecture for purchase and autographing. Following the presentation, attendees will be invited to meet and talk with Bishop Nicholas at a wine and cheese reception for a donation of $10 to St Elias Church.
We Sing the Great Doxology to Begin the Liturgy
Almost every Sunday we begin the Divine Liturgy by singing the Great Doxology (“Doxology” means “words of praise” in Greek), which actually belongs to the end of Orthros (Morning Prayer), which ought to be celebrated before the Lit-urgy. Here are the words of the Great Doxology (usually sung in Tone 3):
1.
Glory to You, O Giver of Light! Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth and good will among men.
Glory to You, O Giver of Light! Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth and good will among men.2.We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for the splendor of your glory.
We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You for the splendor of your glory.3.O Lord King, O heavenly God, Father Almighty, O Lord, only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and You, All-Holy Spirit.
O Lord King, O heavenly God, Father Almighty, O Lord, only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and You, All-Holy Spirit.4.O Lord God, O Lamb of God, O Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. O You who take away the sins of the world.
O Lord God, O Lamb of God, O Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. O You who take away the sins of the world.5.Accept our supplication, O You who are enthroned at the right hand of God the Father, and have mercy on us.
Accept our supplication, O You who are enthroned at the right hand of God the Father, and have mercy on us.6.For You alone are holy, You alone are the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
For You alone are holy, You alone are the Lord, Jesus Christ, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.7.Every day will I bless You and sing to your Name, always and for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless You and sing to your Name, always and for ever and ever.8.Deign, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
Deign, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.9.Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our Fathers. Praised and glorified is your Name for ever. Amen.
Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our Fathers. Praised and glorified is your Name for ever. Amen.10.O Lord, let your mercy rest upon us, for we have placed our trust in You.
O Lord, let your mercy rest upon us, for we have placed our trust in You.11.Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me your statutes. (3 times)
Blessed are You, O Lord, teach me your statutes. (3 times)12.O Lord, You have been for us a refuge from age to age. I said, “Lord have mercy on me and heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
O Lord, You have been for us a refuge from age to age. I said, “Lord have mercy on me and heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”13.O Lord, to You I come for shelter, teach me to obey your will, for You are my God.
O Lord, to You I come for shelter, teach me to obey your will, for You are my God.14.For with You is the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light.
For with You is the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light.15.Extend your mercy upon those who confess You.
Extend your mercy upon those who confess You.16.Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. (3 times)
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. (3 times)Please help in whatever way you can. This is our Church, our Home.
